Project Summary/Abstract The proposed T35 program will provide financial support for up to 24 medical students from the NYU School of Medicine (NYUSOM), as well as outside medical schools, to spend 9 weeks during the first summer of medical school working on NIDDK-related research. In the current funding period, our T35 program has steadily grown and attracted committed and passionate students to research. For example, in 2018, 26 students applied to the program and were accepted; of which 24 participated and 2 declined. Since 2003, approximately 40% of students participating in the T35 Program pursued additional high quality research opportunities that included a research year, graduating with research Honors or gaining entrance to our highly competitive MSTP program. The core operational objectives of this renewal application are to: (1) provide students with a pre-selected list of excellent mentors and projects, (2) create a selection process to identify highly qualified students and optimize the probability that their work will lead to publication, (3) create cohesion among the trainees and the participating mentors, (4) acquire data that can be used to judge the success of the program and to implement changes to make it more successful. To accomplish these objectives an internal advisory board (IAB) will advise the Program Director (PD) on selection of mentors, projects and students. An external advisory board (EAB) will review the program each year and make suggestions that assure it meets our core objectives. Each year the IAB and PD will select experienced and successful mentors and solicit from them NIDDK-related projects to be offered to students. Selected mentors must have an excellent mentoring record and be doing work relevant to the NIDDK mission. Mentors will interview applicants and select a student for each project. With the mentor?s guidance, selected students will write a proposal to submit to the PD and program staff for final approval. To further enhance the probability that selected projects will lead to publication, students will submit an updated research plan just prior to starting their summer project. Cohesion among the trainees and mentors will be created through weekly meetings of students and faculty. Selected faculty will discuss their research and careers and, at subsequent meetings, students will present either journal articles or work-in-progress seminars. At the conclusion of their summer project students will be queried about their plans for publication and will be asked to submit an abstract for the annual fall research day to be held at the NYUSOM. To track the success of the program, students and mentors will be queried at the end of the summer regarding progress in the key research competencies and students will be asked to comment on their plans for further research and academic careers. Follow up questionnaires will be sent to students at the end of the clerkship year, at graduation, and post- graduation with the intent to track their publication record, research plans, and their evolving impression of the T35?s influence on their professional careers.